Pregnancy outcomes and heart health after pregnancy
Official title: PRegnancy OuTcomEs and subclinical Cardiovascular disease sTudy: (PROTECT)
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11228795 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at how pregnancy problems like high blood pressure, early delivery, or having a small baby relate to hidden heart and blood vessel changes during and after pregnancy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | December 6, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $597,946 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL161514-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11228795 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are pregnant people or those recently postpartum, especially individuals who experience hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, or small-for-gestational-age births.
✕Less likely to help
This project is not intended for people who have never been pregnant or for men, and those without pregnancy complications may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows pregnant people through pregnancy and for years after delivery, collecting blood pressure readings, blood tests, and heart and blood vessel imaging to find early signs of heart disease. The team compares people who have adverse pregnancy outcomes (like hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, or small-for-gestational-age babies) with those who do not to see when heart changes begin and which biological markers are involved. Researchers will study placental-related factors, vascular measures, and traditional risk factors to understand whether pregnancy problems reveal existing risk or create new risk. The goal is to identify hidden heart disease earlier so clinicians can target prevention after pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk for future heart disease earlier and guide prevention strategies after pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked pregnancy complications to higher long-term heart disease risk, but this project focuses on earlier, hidden vascular changes and mechanisms, making it a newer, more detailed effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khan, Sadiya Sana — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Khan, Sadiya Sana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.